Speak out on costly, unneeded weapons

Our Pennsylvania senators and House members soon will have to vote on how to fix the sequester, and decide what we really need and don't need in the federal budget.

The Pentagon is a good place to start. The stories of waste within the Pentagon are beyond disappointing. We see the dysfunction of the process when the Pentagon requests a certain budget, and Congress raises that amount in order to cater to its home constituency. Hundreds of billions have been wasted, but one story can be written differently — that is the boondoggle B-61 nuclear warhead program.

Back in 2007, the Bush administration asked for $600 million to build a new nuclear warhead, arguing that it would help in cutting our nuclear weapons overall if the remaining warheads were "more reliable." Many questioned it then. At thiws point, the program is out of control — costs now are officially said to be $6 billion, a 900-percent increase.

This warhead is an extreme example of unneeded, poorly-planned Pentagon programs that easily can be cut, without jeopardizing national security. We have two other reliable warheads; we don't need the B-61. Further, President Obama is proposing that we cut down, not increase nuclear weapons. This warhead undercuts those objectives.

We can save $6 billion to $10 billion by zeroing out this program. In addition, Gen. James Cartwright, former vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified in Congress on Feb. 14 that we could save more than $120 billion by cutting new missile delivery systems for our existing warheads.

It is time we cut unneeded, unwanted, unwise programs. Write to your congressperson. This program not only is a waste, but dangerously escalates the arms race. Make your voice heard.